The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1887-09-10
Frightful Theatre Fire ut Exeter, En-.
gland.
The People BECOME Panic Stricken and
Many are Crushed to Death-Onc
Hundred aud Thirty Rodies Already
Taken from the Ruins.

LONDON, Sept. ga theatre at
Exeter took fire this evening during "A
performance of "Romany Rye" The
occupants of the pit, after II struggle,
escaped, but many were greatly injur-
Ell. There WAS only one exit from the
gallery, and the crush there was terri
&c. Scores were trodden under foot
and sutfocated. A fire escape was
brought to Il window and many were
rescared. Sixty corpses have been
removed. The injured survivors were
sent to hospital.
The structure burned was the Thea-
tire Royal. 1t WAS built after the latest
designs and was deliberately fitted,
being one of the prettiest in tho king
dom.
There was Il crowded house tonight,
and everything was all right until the
| end of the third act, at 1890, when n
drop scene fell, and in a moment the
stage was in ii mass of flames. a wild
panic ensued.
The occupants of the stalls, pit and
dress circle escaped after Il dreadful
crushing many being badly bruised.
| The actors aud actresses were in their
dressing rooms when the fire began,
and all escaped.
The fire originated in the flies and
spread rapidly, filling the theatre With
smoke. The occupants of the upper
circle and gallery rushed to the win.
dows, screaming frantlcaliy. Many
jumped from the windows and were
tnj ufed others were rescued with the
aid of ladders from the veran.las.
The fire blazed fercely, lighting up
the whole city. People We're soon
tiocking to the scene in thousands, in
quirins for friends. The scene inside
the theatre, when the fife broke out !,
was an awful one. Women implOred
the audience to be cool, but it WAS inn
possible to check the frantic rush. The
theatre hose was brought into use in a
few minutes, but the water had no ni-
feet on the flames.
| The actors and ACTRESSES were taken
from the windows with the all of lad
ders. They lost everything except
what they wore at the time.
| Up to the present time $50 bodies
have been recovered. They are almost
unrecognizabie. Thirty injured survi-
vors have been taken to the hospitals
The fire buried throughout tho night.
The search for bodies proceeds
slowly. In many cases every shred of
clothing is burned off and the bodies
look black and raw. There are vari~
Gus reports as to the
ORIGIN OF THE FIRE.
1t il certain that the flames broke out in
the scene shifters' department.. Those
who encnped say that the special exit
was probably opened. The fire bri-
gale arrived five minutes after the
breaking out of the flames, but the et-
forts of the firemen We're without effect.
THE majority of the victims were
men and boys. Abont thirty women
were burned.
When the fire started the drop
scene was lowered TO prevent draft
some of the actors opened a door to es-
cape, causing the fire to burst through
the drop scene and ignite the gallery
Tho flames overlook the people, who
were wedged in an immovahle mass
and roasted them to death.
Many who We're rescued alive died
soon after being brought out of the
burning building. The occupants OF
the dress circle escaped without serious
harm.
\ telegram from Exeter at . o'clock
this morning says the fire is under
control. Duiy the walls OF tho struc-
turc are standing. People, distracted
with anxiety, are wandering about
inrhe neighborhood of the theatee in
search of friends who attended last
nights performance. The hospitals
are beSeiscd by iuuurers for friends.
| rwan,y h,lir hurupl pnrspns who